JULY 30, 2000

Schumacher blames Fisichella for German exit

CHAMPIONSHIP leader Michael Schumacher laid the blame on his early exit from Sunday's German Grand Prix on Benetton driver Giancarlo Fisichella.

Schumacher made a poor start from the front row of the grid and adjusted his line as he approached the first corner, colliding with Fisichella who ran out of space on the German's outside.

But the German remained unrepentant over the incident and insisted the Benetton driver was at fault for the collision -- the second successive race where the pair have been forced out on the first lap.

"I was bumped off from behind," Schumacher said. "Fisichella came from behind and he is the person to be looking out for cars in front of him. There are limits to what you can do you have to adapt to circumstances and he did not adapt well enough."

But Schumacher refused to blame title rival David Coulthard, who took the racing line in front of him approaching the corner.

He added: "I went out of the race not because of David Coulthard but because of Fisichella. I could have won here because I had the car to win. I had a really good feeling about the race and it's a real shame, but Rubens (Barrichello) deserved his victory."